CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – The Hood College men's volleyball team opened the 2026 season with a tri-match against University of Valley Forge and Wilson College, sweeping the former 3-0, but getting swept by the latter in three straight in their next match.
Inside the Box Score
Charles Casas (Rehoboth Beach, Del./Cape Henlopen High School) led the team on the day with 28 kills, including 20 against Valley Forge, and seven aces.
Cameron Nugent (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) ended the afternoon with 43 assists.
Rafael Riberas (Ellicott City MD/Marriotts Ridge) finished both matches with a combined 12 digs.
How it Happened – Valley Forge
The Blazers started off hot, taking the first five points that saw Nugent get a pair of service aces. After a bit of back-and-forth, Hood began outpacing Valley Forge, scoring two or three points for every one the Patriots got. With the Blazers ahead 15-6, Valley Forge would rattle off three straight to cut the lead to six, but Hood ended the set with a 10-2 run to take a 1-0 match lead.
Set two was not as lopsided as the first, with the Blazers starting on a 6-2 run, but then seeing that lead shrink to 8-6. Five out of the next six points went Hood's way, but again the Patriots responded and got within 18-17. After the Blazers took the next four points, they continued to win the race to 25 as Casas got them to the edge at 24-19, but things got a little hairy when Valley Forge rattled off three straight and looked to force overtime. Thankfully, another Casas kill clinched the set before any more damage could be done, and Hood could instead look to sweep their first match of the season.
Building off the momentum of the previous set, the Blazers tried to put this one away early with an 11-2 run to start the third set. That momentum immediately shifted to the Patriots when they answered with seven straight to make it a two-point game. Both teams would exchange two- and three-point runs for most of the remainder of the set, but with Hood inching closer at 22-17, Valley Forge surged with a 5-1 run and got within one once again. That would be as close as they would get though, as Casas and
Blake Catts (Rehoboth Beach, Del./Cape Henlopen) completed the sweep with a kill each.
How it Happened - Wilson
Fresh off their win against Valley Forge, the Blazers started the match against Wilson off on the right foot, taking a 7-5 lead that ballooned 11-7 after a short run. That would be where their advantage ended though, as the Phoenix jumped ahead with a 10-1 run that put Hood in a 17-12 deficit. The Blazers would get just five more points the rest of the way, and suddenly faced their first match deficit of the season.
Hood continued to battle hard to start the second set, keeping things close at 4-4. Wilson had other plans though, and a 14-1 run would essentially ice the set for the Blazers as they quickly found themselves down 2-0.
A Casas service ace helped continue the trend of starting off on the right foot as the Blazers found themselves ahead 3-1 in set three, but soon quickly found things tied 5-5. From there it was all Phoenix, with the host team going on a 16-2 tear and quickly finishing the set and the match, sending Hood home with a 1-1 record.
Up Next
The Blazers have their home opener in Woodsboro Bank Arena Tuesday, January 27 at 7 p.m.
